The Reaches

26

Biruta

When the Peaches returned to Island Able with full tanks and her bow gun ready, the Hawkwood had vanished and the Tolliver was a glowing ruin, the southern side shattered by scores of unanswered plasma bolts. By the time the fort's guns rotated to track the featherboat, Piet Ricimer had ducked under the horizon again.

Stephen Gregg was drugged numb for most of the long transit home, but by the time they prepared for landing at Betaport, he could move around the strait cabin again.

He didn't talk much. None of them did.